ENERGY
EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE CO2
EMISSIONS: CIENCY SCHEME
scheme in cutting energy bills, reducing upfront CRC payments, increasing payouts from the scheme and enhancing their reputation. It’s important to understand how CRC will affect your organisation. You will need to decide who will be responsible for the ongoing data collection and CRC reporting. In most organisations, the day- to-day CRC management basis would be dealt with by an energy or facilities manager.
LEADING THE WAY
Environment Agency research shows that around a quarter of the emissions from these sectors could be cut at no overall cost. Carbon reduction doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. In most cases the savings on energy bills will outweigh the costs of the energy saving measures. There are simple and inexpensive steps every organisation can take to cut their energy consumption – from motion sensors for lighting to slightly reducing room temperatures. For those organisations not convinced by the financial benefits of energy efficiency, the annual league table of the best and worst performers in the CRC could be the incentive they need to start putting energy efficiency at the top of the corporate agenda.
The league table is a public statement on carbon efficiency and in this age of eco-conscious consumers, organisations will need to perform well to have the edge on competitors. If organisations don’t take up the challenge, there is a risk to their reputation and their pockets.
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
The Environment Agency has also given CRC participants greater ability to showcase their previous carbon reduction efforts. The Environment Agency has approved the Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction Scheme (CEMARS®) and the BSI Kitemark® scheme for Energy Reduction Verification (ERV) as counting towards the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Early Action Metric. Previously only the Carbon Trust Standard was recognised as counting towards the early action metric, which rewards organisations who voluntarily
HELP IS AT HAND The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
is administered across the UK by the Environment Agency. The scheme is regulated by the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland. We are working with organisations to help them understand their obligations and will provide as much guidance and information as possible. Organisations with questions are encouraged to read through the FAQs section on the Environment Agency website or contact the dedicated CRC helpdesk. The website also has a range of tools to help explain CRC, along with in-depth information on registering and adhering to CRC.
DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE
As a mandatory scheme, organisations must register by 30 September or face possible fines. The registration process will take some time, so those organisations who are not yet underway with registration are encouraged to make a start immediately. There are more reasons to comply with CRC than to avoid a fine. Adhering to CRC will save organisations money through reduced energy bills, and help contribute to the UK’s emission reduction targets. And perhaps most importantly, the CRC performance league table will ensure the public, business and government know exactly which organisations are leading the way in carbon reduction. For more information about the
undertake good energy management practices before joining CRC. Along with the Carbon Trust Standard, CEMARS and the Kitemark schemes will allow organisations who are leading the way in environmental management to be rewarded for their efforts to date. All Carbon Trust Equivalent Schemes will be rigorously assessed through an application process and must meet a range of requirements, including demonstration of an annual carbon reduction.
Heating • Set temperature levels appropriate to the space, its use and occupation levels
• Audit your heating controls to find out when your heat comes on and goes off
• Upgrading heating systems to more efficient ones
• Improve insulation • Install double glazing • Service boilers every year – a regularly serviced boiler can save up to 10% on heating costs
Lighting • Switch off non-essential lights – including those near windows
• Label light switches to make it easier for people to control individual rows of lights
• Switch to energy efficient lighting systems
• Install motion sensors so that lights go off automatically if nobody is using an area
Office Equipment • Use plug-in time switches to switch off electrical items such as printers after hours
• Switch off any non-essential or seldom-used equipment
• Install power saving devices which switch off PC monitors when they are not in use e.g. The eco-button
• Use flat screen monitors – they can reduce monitor energy use by two thirds as well as saving space
• Enable energy saving features on your appliances, and reduce energy consumption by up to 30%
• Position photocopiers and printers in ventilated spaces or in cool areas such as the north side of a building, so that machines don’t waste energy working overtime to stay cool, and can even reducing heating or air conditioning demand
CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme and to download the CRC Registration Guidance, visit
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/crc For assistance or queries about the scheme, contact the CRC dedicated helpdesk at crchelp@environment-
agency.gov.uk.
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